What to look for outside of flow hive until I reopen it to look at 3 empty frames installed with 5 nuc frames a few days ago?
I mowed around my new 1st hive 1 day after getting it set up/ transferred from plastic nuc, and there were only a small amount of bees flying out/ returning to hive in middle of day and it surprised me there wasn’t more activity?
It was cool temperatures the night after transfer (45 degrees Fahrenheit)and only 50 the day I mowed near hive/ watched from a distance of 10 feet)
I also moved corrafulute plastic panel up to top groove from the lower groove ( was in lower groove only 12 hrs and moved up after I read/ asked questions on the purpose of this panel and conlcluded it Should move up most of the time to stop shb from entering through this larger gap if in lower groove…) I wish I had a way to identify all the different bees in the hive to help me understand what is going on when I open it up again in a few days/ weeks…
Really just sit back and watch http://honey.martyhuie.com/my-bee-photos/?_gallery=gg-1-10#
you should see girls bringing in pollen. They typically will not fly when temperature is close to 50°F, especially if the colony is not really really strong. They’re doing their best to keep the brood box, Warm
Have you given them sugar water. Sugar water will help them make a new wax comb, it will help them draw out all the frames. They definitely will need food if the temperature is that cold and they are not able to fly
For such a new hive, I would just watch the entrance (you have reduced it to 2-3” haven’t you) and be feeding them but don’t use an entrance feeder, use a jar with holes in the top inverted over the feeding hole. One of the biggest mistakes newbees make is fiddling with their new bees. Just monitor the food and entrance for a few weeks.
well, I would put some sort of feeder on. I like and entrance feeder but many people on here don’t. I like it as a newbe so I can watch the girls and how much the go thur quickly with out opening the hive up each time
you should feed for it will help them draw out the comb, remove once you put the honey suppers i.e. flow frames on
The colony should be left alone till there is new bees having emerged and so there will be brood at various stages of development in the brood box so the bees will be regarding the hive at home more readily, if you disturb them before they have ‘bonded’ to the hive they may abscond if you disturb them too much.
I know that is hard for a new beekeeper but letting them settle in will be a plus for the bees and they will actually survive with out you checking on them, I would leave them for 2 or 3 weeks then do an inspection. As for feeding sugar it will help in production of wax but I would only feed them sugar/water thru the top of the hive internally, there are many versions available at apiary supplies, An entrance feeder can cause robbing by another hive if there is a lack of nectar about naturally in the flowers.
Regards Peter,
